Toe-weight



(No Model.)

' J. H. HODGKINS.

TOE WEIGHT.

No. 498,955. Patented June 6,1893.

UNrTED STATES PATENT Critics.

JAMES H. HODGKINS, OF CAMBRIDGE, MASSACHUSETTS.

TOE-WEIGHT.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 498,955, dated. June 6, 1893.

Application filed September 5, 1892. Serial No. 445,065. (No model.)

To a/ZZ whom it may concern,.-

Be it known that I, JAMES H. HODGKINS, of Cambridge, in the county of Middlesex, State of Massachusetts, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Toe-Weights, of which the following is a description sufficiently full, clear, and exact to enable any person skilled in thel art or science to which said invention appertains to make and use the same, reference being had to the accompanying drawings, forming part of this specification, in which- Figure l is an elevation of a hoof showing my improved toe-weight in position. Fig. 2 is a front elevation of the weight attached; Fig. 3 a like View showing the supporting plate, the weight being removed; Fig. Il an under side plan view the hoof being shown in section; and Fig. 5 a sectional View on line win Fig. 3.

Like letters of reference indicate corresponding parts in the different figures of the v drawings.

My invention relates especially to toeweights for trotting horses, the object being particularly to provide means whereby weights of different sizes may be quickly mounted on the same supporting plate and which will not become readily detached from the jar of the foot.

In the drawings, A represents the hoof, B the supporting plate of the weight and C the weight proper. The supporting plate, B, comprises a body portion, d, concaved on its inner face to fit the hoof. Centrally on said body portion there is a flange, f, which in position runs vertically of the hoof. Said flange is undercut or beveled at, g, longitudinally and is provided outside the body with a counter-sunk screw-hole, 7L. The body, d, from each side of the flange has its face beveled outwardly at, t'. Screws, j, passing through said beveled faces into the hoof secure the plate thereto. The Weight proper, C, 'is concaved on its inner face to conform to the hoof and is slotted longitudinally at, k, to receive the flange, f, the walls of said slot being beveled to coliform to the under-cut edges of the tlange or lug,'f. Thelower edge of the weight proper is also undercut and beveled to lit closely over the beveled faces, 1l, of the supporting plate and cover the screw-heads, 7'. A screw, m, passes through the screw-hole, h, of the lug,f, into the bottom of the flange groove in the weight proper holdingit against vertical movement on said flange from thev jar of the foot should the screw, m, work loose or begin to turn out. The under-cut lug locking the Weight proper against outward movement would prevent its displacement. The impact of the hoof, tending to drive the weight proper downward onto the lug, would also prevent its displacement by vertical movement.

It Will be seen that Weights proper, C, of any desired size and weight properly grooved to receive the lug, f, can be interchanged thereon by means of the screw, m, the supporting plate remaining on the hoof.

Having thus explained my in vention,| what I claim is- A toe-weight comprising the supporting plate B provided withthe under-cut lug f having the screw-hole t and beveled faces 1l, in combination with the Weight proper C having the beveled groove 7c for receiving said lug and its inner face undercut to conform to said beveled faces, the screws j for attaching the supporting plate to the hoof, and the screw m for connecting said plate and weight, substantially as described.`

JAMES H. HODGKINS.

lVitnesses:

O. M. SHAW, F. SUMiNsBY. 

